Need to purchase printer

[dvperrin]

I'm shooting high quality photographs, sending them to retoucher who in turn will send them back to me for printing. I need a reasonably priced quality printer for photographs.

Any recommendations? Any recommendations on a print lab?

Debbie

[happusa]

I get fantastic results from my Epson R2400. Print up to 13X44

[dvperrin]

Is this an inkjet or dye sub? What is your opinion of dye sub printers? Considering one.

[happusa]

Ink jet. Ultrachrome K3 archival (?) inks

[JohnJ80]

I'd recommend the Epson R1800 if you do mostly color. R2400 if you are after B+W.

I have the R1800 and I think it beats any lab print I have had done. The thing is amazing.

Both of these epson printers us pigment inks which have print longevity at a minimum of several decades and most exceeding 100 years. I'd get these over any dye printer out there hands down.

J.

[ScottBuckel]

I can second the comments by others - I really like the Epson printers they do a great job. If you think you may do BW as well as color I would reccomend the 2400 it is a top notch printer. Also the profiles that come with it are great, while the profiles for the R1800 are just pretty good.

Scott

[dvperrin]

Thanks for the advice. I did go to a site that sold the epson R-1800 and R-2400, but I didn't like the reviews I saw. Some posted that these printers use a TON of ink. Is that your experience? I will be printing out 8 X 11.5 photos, mostly in color, but I know some will ask for BW also.

Also, can anyone tell me if the continuous ink supply set up will work with these printers? If so, then that would solve the large ink usage problem. I'm a stickler for saving money, and I refill my own cartridges on my home printer, so the continuous ink supply sounds really great.
Just need someone experienced with this to advise me.
Debbie

[happusa]

I'm not sure what you mean by ink hog. The HP that I have uses more ink than my Epson 2400. I also use third party inks that produce the sam quality as Epson inks. (IMHO) They are half the price of Epson.

Depending on the size of print, the ink goes a long way.

[dvperrin]

In at least three or four reviews I read, they complained that it used a lot of ink. Some were so dissatisfied that they were considering a different printer. I'm just going by the reviews. I don't know anybody else with this kind of printer so I had to check the reviews.

[Mr. Pickles]

They all tend to use a lot of ink. The better the printed image, the more ink it uses probably. High-quality means high ink usage. When you factor in each time it spits a tiny droplet, it costs ya a penny or something, ink cost is one factor in "it uses a lot of ink" statements.

Thus, a lot of people look for 3rd party ink, and that is a different subject. I thought the continuous flow systems form like MediaStreet worked for the 1800 and 2400, but I'm not usre. I got a Canon printer, and it uses a lot of ink

I think for 4x6's, a home-based inkjet printer is all about convenience, because it isn't saving you money if you are leaving the house and pass a drug store, super center, etc. 8x10's and up, the "values" change.

[cyclohexane]

All photo printers are ink-guzzlers. It's what you have to put up with if you're printing at home.